Fundraiser

Name: Marc-André Pradervand
Age: 61
Degree: Dr. oec. publ., Wirtschaftsinformatik
Profession: Independent Consultant and Interim-Manager for NPOs

What does a fundraiser do?

A fundraiser - in the non-profit sense - supports non-profit organisations (NPOs) in raising funds (donations). This includes, for example, the planning and implementation of appeals for donations by letter or digitally, the preparation of funding applications to funding foundations or companies or the organisation of fundraising events. It also includes regular communication with donors and analysing data to evaluate the success of fundraising measures, to name just a few of the many different activities.

How did you become a fundraiser?

When I graduated as a business IT specialist, I had no idea what I was doing now, as I had a classic IT career in mind. I slipped into this exciting field more by chance. After my doctorate, I worked in a management consultancy that also looked after non-profit organisations as clients. I was commissioned by an NPO to manage a project. As part of this project, I was in regular contact with the fundraising department, who asked me to join their team after the project was completed. After that, I gradually familiarised myself with fundraising by "learning by doing", as there were hardly any further training courses in this area in Switzerland at the time. Over the years, I got to know all the disciplines of fundraising.

What is the biggest challenge in this profession?

As in other sectors, I would say the biggest challenge is finding good employees. You have to be a bit of an idealist for this job, because you earn less in the non-profit sector than in the private sector. And there are no bonuses either.

What does fundraising mean to you personally?

Fundraising isn't just a job for me, it's a vocation. I get to do meaningful work that enables non-profit organisations to make the world a little better in their field of activity.

What advice do you have for students who are interested in this job?

Get involved as a volunteer in a non-profit organisation during your studies to find out whether this sector appeals to you. Many NPOs also offer internships in fundraising. With such a job, which is often limited to 6-12 months, you get a good insight into this activity and can decide whether the job as a fundraiser suits you or not. Such internships are regularly advertised on kampajobs.ch, for example.

As of December 2023